Device for monitoring parked vehicles

ABSTRACT

A parking control unit intended primarily for checking whether a parking fee has been paid in respect of a parked vehicle. The parking control unit is intended for use in a parking system of a kind in which the user registers an account number and the vehicle registration number at the commencement of a parking period, and again registers the account number at the end of the parking period. The account number, the registration number, the parking commencement time, and the parking termination time are stored in the memory of a central computer so that the parking time that has elapsed between the parking commencement time and the parking termination time can be billed to the account number that was registered at the commencement of the parking period.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a parking control unit for establishingwhether or not a parking fee has been paid for parked vehicles.

2. Description of the Related Art

Cities will normally have one or more vehicle parking companies whodistribute parking meters, or so-called pay meters, throughout the cityin a number of different places, of which streets and large ground-basedparking areas are the most common.

In addition to coin payments, it has become increasingly common practiceto pay a parking fee with a cash card of one kind or another. Cardpayments are made by drawing the cash card through a card reader on thepay meter.

The invention relates to the type of payment system with which theperson parking a vehicle draws the cash card through a card reader Inthe pay meter and the pay meter stores the cash-card number and the timeat which the card was read.

It is highly desirable to be able to use any parking meter whatsoeverwhen parking a vehicle and then use any parking meter or pay meterwhatsoever to pay the parking fee when collecting the vehicle. Thus, itshould be possible to commence a series of parking occasions at oneplace in the city or town and draw the cash card through the reader of agiven meter, and to terminate the series of parking occasions at anotherplace in the city or town, by drawing the cash card through the readerof another meter.

One problem with the majority of known systems is that the pay metermust produce a parking ticket that contains machine-readable informationand that each pay meter must have a reader that is able to read theticket. This requires the pay meters to be serviced at relatively shortintervals, in order to ensure the function of the meters. It is alsonecessary to replenish the pay meters with tickets.

Handling of the tickets can also be problematic. A lost ticket must bereported as being lost, in order to be able to terminate parking of thevehicle concerned.

A solution to this problem is described in Swedish Patent SpecificationNo. 960112-7.

The invention according to this prior patent relates to a method of cashcard billing by means of parking meters or pay meters when parking avehicle, wherewith a system of pay meters includes several pay metersthat are equipped with a cash card reader. A person parking a vehiclewill in initially look for a first pay meter and with the aid of thecash card reader enter information carried on the card, at least withrespect to the card account number, wherewith the pay meter is caused tostore the account number and the time at which parking had commenced ina memory belonging to the pay meter, when reading the cash card. Inconjunction with terminating parking of the vehicle, the cash card isinserted into another pay meter and read by the card reader of thismeter, this latter pay meter optionally being any chosen pay meter inthe pay meter system, including the pay meter first mentioned. Thesecond pay meter is caused to store the account number together with thetime at which the card was read, i.e. the parking terminating time, in amemory belonging to this second pay meter.

The invention according to this prior patent is characterized in thateach pay meter has a keyboard by means of which a person can enter theregistration number of the vehicle to be parked, in conjunction withcausing the cash card to be read by the card meter at the commencementof parking of the vehicle. The pay meter is caused to store the vehicleregistration number together with the account number and the time atwhich parking commenced, and the memory of each pay meter is connectedto the memory of a central computer; and in that billing is carried outon the account number carried on the cash card in question for theparking time that has elapsed between commencing and terminating theparking of the vehicle.

According to one embodiment of this patent, the system of pay meters canbe instructed to print-out or display those vehicle registration numbersthat have commenced a parking period but have not terminated a parkingperiod of the vehicle.

This instruction may, for instance, be given in a manner such that a carpark attendant inserts a special authorization card in the card reader.The pay meter will be designed to print-out a list of vehicleregistration numbers in numerical order with regard to those vehicleswhere a parking has not been terminated. Alternatively, the registrationnumbers can be shown on a display in alphabetical numerical order andthe car park attendant can skim between registration numbers with theaid of arrow keys, for instance.

The car park superintendent can then compare the registration numbers ofparked vehicles with numbers displayed or printed-out by the system. Avehicle whose registration number is not found In the system will beduly fined.

It will be understood that the system described in this prior patentspecification is best suited for parking systems whose geographicalseparation is limited, such as multi-car parks or ground-based carparks. When the system is applied, for instance, over the whole citycenter, the lists will be very comprehensive and quickly out of date.

The present invention solves this problem and provides a very fast andeffective parking control unit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention thus relates to a parking control unit which isintended primarily for checking whether or not a parking fee for aparked vehicle has been paid. It is intended for use in a parking systemof the kind with which the user registers an account number and thevehicle registration number at the start of a parking period, and againregisters the account number at the time of terminating the parkingperiod of the vehicle. The account number, the vehicle registrationnumber, the parking starting time and the parking terminating time arestored in the memory of a central computer so that billing can beeffected on the account number concerned for the parking time that haselapsed between the parking commencement time and the parkingterminating time. The parking control unit is portable and includes adisplay, a computer unit with an associated memory, and a communicationsunit adapted to communicate with the memory of the central computer toobtain information relating to the registration numbers of thosevehicles which have commenced a parking period in the system but havenot terminated the parking period of the vehicle. The parking controlunit also includes an optical image or picture reproducing device whichfunctions to reproduce an image of the registration plates of vehiclesand to clearly show the registration numbers. The parking control unitis adapted to compare an imaged and clearly shown registration numberwith those registration numbers of vehicles that have commenced aparking period but have not terminated parking in the system, and toindicate, with the aid of an indicating means, whether or not a clearlyshown registration number belongs to a vehicle that has commenced aparking period but where parking in the system has not been terminated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference toexemplifying embodiments thereof and also with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which

FIG. 1 illustrates a parking control unit constructed in accordance withthe invention; and

FIG. 2 is a block schematic illustrating the parking control unit shownin FIG. 1 and its communication with the surroundings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates a parking control units which is primarily intendedfor checking whether or not a parking fee has been paid for a parkedvehicle. The parking control unit is primarily intended for use in aparking system of a kind in which the user registers an account numberand the vehicle registration number at the beginning of a parkingperiod, and again registers the account number when the parking periodis terminated.

The invention can be applied to particular benefit in a parking systemconstructed for cash card billing by means of pay meters when theparking system includes a plurality of pay meters belonging to a paymeter system. The pay meters are equipped with a cash card reader. Aperson parking his/her vehicle looks for a first pay meter wheninitially parking the vehicle and enters the cash-card account number bypassing the card through the card reader, and then enters theregistration number of the vehicle to be parked through the medium of akeyboard. The account number, vehicle registration number and the timeat which parking was commenced is stored in a memory. When terminatingparking of the vehicle, said person looks for a second pay meter andpasses the cash card through the cash card reader of this second paymeter. The second pay meter may be any pay meter included in the paymeter system. The account number of the cash card is stored in thememory of this second pay meter together with the time at which the cardwas read, i.e. the parking termination time. Each pay meter is connectedto the memory of a central computer, so that the parking time periodthat has elapsed between the parking commencement time and the parkingtermination time can be billed to the account number concerned.

As an alternative to a cash card, any other means of payment ormachine-readable identification of the person parking a vehicle can beused for billing the person concerned. In this case, devices other thangenerally conventional pay meters can be used to register vehicleregistration numbers, to debit accounts, and to register vehicle parkingcommencement times and parking termination times. The main criterion inthis respect is that the parking system obtains information as to theaccount to be debited and information relating to vehicle registrationnumber, parking commencement time and parking termination time.

The inventive parking control unit is portable. For instance, theparking control unit may have a size corresponding to the size of atypical portable computer terminal. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, parkingcontrol unit 1 includes a display 2, a computer unit 3 that includes amemory 4, and a communications unit 5 for communication with the memoryof the a central computer 6 for obtaining information relating to theregistration numbers of those vehicles that have commenced a parkingperiod in the parking system but have not as yet terminated the parkingperiod. The parking control unit 1 also includes an optical imagereproducing device 7 which when aimed at a vehicle registration platefunctions to reproduce and record an image of the registration plate andto clarify, that is to make clear, the vehicle registration number. Thecomputer unit 3 of the parking control unit 1 is adapted to compare therecorded and clarified registration numbers with the registration numberof those vehicles that have begun a parking period but which have notterminated the parking period in the system, these numbers being storedin the memory 4.

The communications unit 5 is adapted to communicate with the centralcomputer 6 via radio, preferably via a mobile telephone system, asillustrated with the mast 12. However, communication can, instead, beeffected via a land-based network, where information is sent to theparking control unit 1 with the aid of suitable terminals distributed atdifferent sites in the parking system and connected to said unit. Theterminals may, for instance, comprise pay meters.

FIG. 2 illustrates a number of pay meters 8-11 which deliver to thecentral computer 6 information relating to account number, vehicleregistration number, parking commencement time and parking terminationtime. This transmission may be either a wireless transmission, asillustrated with the pay meters 8 and 9, or it may be effected over apermanent network, as illustrated with the pay meters 10 and 11.

Ideally, the central computer 6 will send to the parking control unit 1solely information relating to the registration numbers of thosevehicles that have commenced a parking period but have not terminatedthe parking period. This information thus corresponds to a list ofvehicles in the parking area.

According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the parkingcontrol unit 1 includes a low power laser 13 adapted to act as asighting means with which a parking attendant brings the parking controlunit 1 into alignment with the center part of the vehicle registrationplate, whereafter the optical device 7 records an image of theregistration plate.

The optical image reproducing device may be of the same kind as thoseused in digital cameras, i.e. include a so-called CCD element.Alternatively, a scanning laser may be used.

The optical signal received from optical device 7 is clarified by thecomputer 3 with respect to the registration number, which is stored inthe computer memory 4. This clarification of the registration number iseffected in a known manner, by processing the signal arriving from theCCD element or from the scanning laser.

According to one preferred embodiment, the parking control unit 1 isequipped with an illuminating device 14 which is adapted to illuminatethe vehicle registration plates in conjunction with the optical imagingof said plates. This illuminating device may be a flood light or acamera-type flash unit. Ideally, the illuminating device is activatedautomatically in the case of a low light level, as in the case of moderncameras.

According to one preferred embodiment, the parking control unit 1 isequipped with a keyboard 15 by means of which a registration number canbe entered manually.

The parking control unit 1 is managed by the parking attendant, whopresses a button 16 to activate the laser 13 and then aims the laserbeam onto the center of a vehicle registration plate. The parkingattendant then presses a button 17 which activates the optical imagereproducing device 7 so as to reproduce and record the registrationplate. The imaged registration number is preferably presented on thedisplay 2 so that the parking attendant is able to check that theregistration plate was correctly reproduced.

According to the invention, the parking control unit is also adapted todisclose with the aid of an indicating device whether or not theregistration number belongs to a vehicle that has commenced a parkingperiod but has not terminated parking period in the system. Ideally, theindicating device will consist of said display 2 and will suitablyindicate only when the registration number reproduced by the opticalimage reproducing device 7 is not found in the computer member 4,meaning that the vehicle is parked illegally.

As will be understood, it is necessary to update the information in thememory 4 of the parking control unit 1 continuously and at relativelyshort intervals. For instance, vehicle registration numbers willpreferably be updated at one-minute intervals.

According to one especially preferred embodiment, the parking controlunit can be connected by a cable 18 to a portable printer 19 forprinting out parking fine tickets.

The printer 19 may be of any suitable kind. For Instance, it may have afirst slot 20 in which a blank parking-fine ticket is inserted and thenfed through the printer while being printed and then dispensed via asecond slot 21. The printer is small and portable.

When the indicating device on the parking control unit 1 indicates thata vehicle is illegally parked, the parking attendant presses a button 22so as to activate the printer and print-cut a ticket on which at leastthe vehicle registration number is given.

On the other hand, the parking control unit 1 may be in wirelesscommunication via a telephone network with a motor vehicle registry thatcontains information relating to all vehicles in the country. Thecomputer 3 may be programmed to collect via the communications unitinformation such as car model and color from the vehicle registry inrespect of the vehicle whose registration plate has been read. Thisinformation can then be printed on the ticket.

According to another preferred embodiment, the optical image reproducingdevice 7 is adapted to enable a situation picture to be taken and storedin the memory 4 of the computer. This only requires the whole of theimage received by a CCD element to be stored in the memory 4 in additionto the registration number. Such a situation image or picture may havethe form of a typical photograph that shows the entire vehicle, or partsof the vehicle, and its position. These pictures or images can betransmitted from the parking control unit 1 to the memory of the centralcomputer 6 and later used as evidence. Naturally, a picture of thevehicle registration plate can be stored as evidence, instead of asituation picture.

As an alternative to printing-out a parking-fine ticket, theregistration number and, when applicable, the situation picture can bestored in the memory 4 of the parking control unit and later transferredto a printer for print-out and dispatched by mail to the owner of thevehicle. The information can also be sent to the central computer 6 forfurther processing directly and by means of wireless transmission.

Although the invention has been described above with reference to anumber of exemplifying embodiments thereof, it will be understood thatthe manner in which the information is transmitted and also the mannerin which the registration number is recorded can be modified.

It will therefore be understood that the invention is not restricted tosaid exemplifying embodiments and that modifications and variations canbe made within the scope of the following Claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A portable parking control unit for enabling aparking attendant to check whether a parked vehicle within a parkingsystem properly commenced a parking period within the system, saidcontrol unit comprising: a. a vehicle registration plate reading devicefor optically reading and producing an image of a vehicle registrationnumber carried by a vehicle registration plate, the reading deviceincluding sighting means for aligning the reading device directly with avehicle registration plate to be read in order to accurately read thevehicle registration number carried by the registration plate, whereinthe sighting means includes a low-power alignment laser that is manuallyaimed at the registration plate by a parking attendant to align thereading device carried by the portable parking control unit with theregistration plate, and wherein the sighting means does not include anadditional optical marker carried by the vehicle to be sensed to locatethe vehicle registration plate; b. a communication unit forcommunicating with a parking system central computer and for receivingfrom the central computer vehicle registration numbers for vehicles thathad properly commenced a parking period by registering an account numberand a vehicle registration number at the commencement of a parkingperiod within the parking system; c. a comparator for comparing vehicleregistration numbers received from the central computer with a vehicleregistration number that has been read by the reading device; and d. anindicator for providing to a parking attendant information regardingwhether the registration number of a parked vehicle corresponds with aregistration number of a vehicle that had properly commenced a parkingperiod within the parking system.
 2. A parking control unit according toclaim 1, wherein the control unit includes an illuminating unit toilluminate a registration plate when reading said plate.
 3. A parkingcontrol unit according to claim 1, wherein the control unit includes akeyboard for manually entering a vehicle registration number.
 4. Aparking control unit according to claim 1, wherein the vehicleregistration plate reading device is a camera which enables a picture ofthe vehicle registration plate to be taken and stored electronically. 5.A parking control unit according to claim 4, wherein informationreceived by the camera is displayed on said indicator.
 6. A parkingcontrol unit according to claim 1, including a connector for connectingthe control unit with a portable printer for printing-out a parking-fineticket.
 7. A parking control unit according to claim 1, wherein thecommunication unit is adapted to communicate with said central computervia radio.
 8. A parking control unit according to claim 1, wherein thecommunication unit is adapted to communicate with said central computerover a mobile telephone system.
 9. A portable parking control unitaccording to claim 1, wherein the control unit is contained within aunitary housing that carries the reading device, the sighting means, andan illumination source for illuminating the vehicle registration plateto enable the plate to be read by the reading means.